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This is not an easy year to select the best player in Major League Soccer’s regular season, and it’s not for lack of nominees.

Almost every top tier team can claim a player who’s put forth an elite season. Some teams have had several players playing at an alarmingly-high level, and the question is whether that should affect their chances to be named Player of the Year.

For example, Seattle has had a player at each end of the pitch that has out-performed the majority of players in the league. Chad Marshall is having one of the best years of any back in MLS history, while Obafemi Martins has been both playmaker and finisher.

And given enough time and research, some could make compelling cases for Clint Dempsey or Osvaldo Alonso. Los Angeles has the same problem, so-to-speak, as does New York.

Any way, let’s take a spin through our nominees…

Bradley Wright-Phillips, New York – His 27 goals tied an MLS single-season record, and he really never came back down to Earth. A fantastic season that begs what his worth would be on the open market.

Obafemi Martins, Seattle – With apologies to Marshall and Dempsey, Martins made this team go. His chemistry with Dempsey was crucial, but it was his vision that made him go. Folks around Newcastle wondered what it would be like if he was “on”, all the time. Now they know (And yes, I know this is MLS and not the Premier League).

Diego Valeri, Portland – It’s difficult to say a player from a team that misses the playoffs should be the MVP of the league, but Valeri unleashed thunderbolts all over the field this year. If you wanted to, you could make a list of the season’s Top 10 goals that don’t include him, set it head-to-head against the ones that do, and see who won. It might be Diego.

Landon Donovan, Los Angeles – It’d be tempting to give the #LegenD a career achievement MVP, but you wouldn’t even need the emotion to make the case. He was simply very, very good without the knowledge that he’s retiring after the season. Donovan netted 10 times on just 66 shots and set up a league best 19 goals.

Lee Nguyen, New England – The MVLee campaign is convincing; Nguyen’s 18 goals on 83 shots are a great combination and he was both the straw the stirred the Revolution’s drink, while also being a great deal of the drink as well. He was fantastic this season and, for our money, is the clear runner-up for the award. And we’d understand your arguments for him being No. 1, but…

Yes, the Galaxy’s attack is the MLS version of Manchester United, but where would L.A. be without their Irish talisman? Gyasi Zardes and Landon Donovan were fantastic, but Keane was there all year long.

He scored 19 times and added 14 assists in 29 games, and was one of only two players (Martins 17G/13A/31gms) to appear in the league’s Top Five in goals and assists. And he managed to miss 3 of 4 penalty kick attempts (which we could hold against him, but won’t).

The advanced stats are on his side, too:

squawka.com

Keane did it early, with goals in four of his first five and 7 of his first 10 matches. He only went two games without a point once, his mid-season “swoon”, and finished his campaign with five goals in his last four contests.

And then there’s the most valuable argument. Anyone who watched the Galaxy’s finale against Seattle and penultimate road loss to Dallas knows how his finishing was missed when not in the lineup. In fact, L.A. was 2-2-1 without Keane and 15-5-9 with him.

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A person who directed racist taunts at Portland Thorns’ goalkeeper Adrianna Franch has been banned from attending National Women’s Soccer League games.

A fan at the Sept. 6 game between the Thorns and Utah Royals in Salt Lake City first called attention to the unidentified person on Twitter. The tweet was later deleted, but both the Thorns and Royals, as well as the league, investigated the incident.

The NWSL issued a statement Saturday saying the person was identified. In addition to being banned from NWSL matches, the person – who was not identified publicly by the league – was also banned from attending events at Rio Tinto Stadium.

“NWSL will not tolerate inappropriate fan behavior,” the league’s statement said. “Racism has no place in our sport.”

The Royals also offered “thanks in no small part to assistance from fans seated in the vicinity,” for identifying the offending party.

A few days after the incident, Franch posted a statement to Twitter: “The situation surrounding our game Friday night is not a NEW issue, nor is it a first for me. RACISM is NOT okay in any form!! We as a HUMAN RACE can be better and should be better. We as a SPORT can help show the way.”

Franch was on the roster of the U.S. national team that won the Women’s World Cup this summer in France.

Dominating possession and taking a healthy amount of shots, it seemed like the San Jose Earthquakes were going to pull off a Matias Almeyda-era victory in New York City on Saturday.

But in just the span of three minutes, NYCFC changed the landscape of the game completely, scoring twice right before halftime. Keaton Parks recorded his first league goal in the 40th minute. In the 43rd, the Eastern Conference leaders put together this (yes, the covered half the field just like that):

Like in the sequences that led to the home side’s goals, the Quakes’ confidence to overtake the scoreline took a hit, failing to finish a number of chances following attack-heavy substitutions in the second half. As a result, San Jose, who are fighting for a playoff spot, dropped their fourth straight game on the road.

Speaking with media after their 2-1 loss, Almeyda – despite praising NYCFC as being one of the league’s best – took shots at Yankee Stadium’s field size. Should the league care? Absolutely. NYCFC? Not at all, just look at their record.

The league’s youngest team ended up with 10-men late in the game. Kendall Watson was shown a straight red card, but Ron Jans earned his first three points at the helm. Early in the game, Allan Cruz’s goal foreshadowed what was to come for the Ohioan side following the final whistle: a celebration.

The Impact (37 points) remain three points behind New England, while Cincinnati (21 points) look to finish strong in order to avoid the ugly side of the history books.

Carlos Vela rejoins LAFC, scores

There’s no way around it: LAFC is a completely different team with (or without) Carlos Vela, who can’t stop scoring.

The Mexican recorded his 28th goal of the season (six behind Jose Martinez’s single-season record) in the Supporter Shield favorite’s 1-1 draw in Philadelphia. It wasn’t a Vela-esque sequence at all, but it was enough to change the score.

All square at the half thanks to @11carlosV's 28th goal of the season!

The Union, who played without Marco Fabian because of his absence in the team’s meeting on Friday, opened the scoring. Three minutes in, Kacper Przybyłko’s floating header surprised Tyler Miller, giving the home side a perfect start in front of a noisy Talen Energy Stadium.

Just a couple of months ago, these were the two best teams in the league. LAFC remain atop of the Western Conference. The Union, however, are now five points behind NYCFC.

Crew trounce Atlanta United 3-1 despite Josef Martinez’ goal

Caleb Porter’s Columbus Crew, arguably, play the most effective soccer out of all the teams that are on the outside looking in when it comes to qualifying for the playoffs this season.

On Saturday, despite being statistically outdone by Atlanta United, the Crew managed to execute their chances, scoring three goals on only four shots on target. Gyasi Zardes, a pivotal piece of their attack, scored his 12th goal of the season. Costa Rican Luis Diaz added one of his own in the second half, before Miles Robinson’s own-goal 25 minutes later sealed three points for Columbus.

After three games, Antonio Conte‘s spell at Inter Milan remains in immaculate shape.

According to the table, there is no better team than I Nerazzurri, who have won their first three league matches – notching seven goals and conceding only one along the way. In other words, the Italian’s astute coaching style remains effective.

Despite, Inter’s convincing play throughout the 90 minutes, only a goal would separate them from visiting Udinese, who played a with 10 players from the 35th minute on, following Rodrigo De Pual’s slap to the back of Antonio Candreva’s head.

In the 44th minute, Stefano Sensi – one of the smallest players on the field – headed the ball into the back of the net. Late in the game, Alexis Sanchez nearly scored in his Inter debut.

In the end, Udinese were no match for Antonio Conte and Co., who find themselves in prime form heading into their Champions League return midweek.

Up next for Inter in league play: Derby della Madonnina. Udinese, on the hand, host Brescia.

Napoli 2-0 Sampdoria

Dries Mertens is the gift that keeps on giving for Napoli.

To be exact, the Belgian gifted his team two goals on Saturday. 13 minutes in, following a perfectly-placed cross from Giovanni Di Lorenzo, Mertens’ first-time strike was unstoppable for Emil Audero.

Emiliano Rigoni had Sampdoria’s best chance of the night in a one-on-one opportunity with Alex Meret. The Argentine, however, wasted one of the visiting side’s two chances all night.

Then in the 67th minute – with some luck on his corner -Mertens completed his brace off a deflected shot, giving his team their second win of the season.

Quick turnaround for Napoli as they host Liverpool midweek before traveling to take on Lecce in league play, while Sampdoria take on Torino next.